


Pianissimo

by Lannakitty



Series: Second Chances [2]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: AU, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-27
Updated: 2010-06-27
Packaged: 2017-10-10 07:13:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/97063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lannakitty/pseuds/Lannakitty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John and Elizabeth have a quiet chat about alternate timelines and the future.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pianissimo

**Author's Note:**

> Revenge of the Timestamp meme. Anuna wanted Two months after Second Chances which was another fic I did which involved time travel, speculation on the end of season 4 and Sparky fluff. This got long enough I decided to post it on its own. Here on AO3 as a series

The city was quiet. The weeks had been stressful for everyone and finally they could enjoy some calm.

John had mounted a rescue mission for Carson's clone as soon as the IOA and the SGC had approved John's plan. It had been a tense week of recovering data and trying to subtly locate Carson. They finally thought they'd found him. However, the clone wasn't there which had led some to believe maybe there wasn't one at all.

John had been shaken.

He'd been right about the odd memory disease and they'd been able to catch it before it effected the whole expedition.

He'd given an extremely detailed report about the Asurans and their movements. The Apollo and the Daedalus were carefully watching them to see what they'd do.

John had pushed for the Athosians to move to another location. They had secretly moved back to Atlantis, leaving their housing behind. John had organized remote recording devices to monitor New Athos. Only days after John estimated Teyla had visited in the old timeline, Wraith darts were recorded trying to cull the settlement. Teyla had clung to Halling and Kanaan as the silent images showed what could have been.

John seemed to have all the answers. Even though everyone knew why, many in the expedition looked at him with awe. Elizabeth could tell he wasn't comfortable with some of the looks he got. However she also knew that he'd grown used to having all the answers.

Since his team had come home empty handed John had been upset. Not finding Carson where they expected him to be had been the first time he'd been completely wrong.

They'd managed to find some data on where Michael would be keeping the clone next and had sent out another rescue attempt after a few days of furious planning. John had worked like a demon to correct what she knew he perceived as a failing on his part.

Now, in every way that mattered to his friends, Carson was home. He was a clone and was still stuck on Michael's drugs, but those facts didn't matter to the members of the expedition. Jennifer and the rest of the medical staff, including Carson, were working out a solution. Dr. Lam had even been called in from the SGC for a few days to assist in a possible cure using a complicated retrovirus therapy.

  
The week had been up and down as the past two months had been. It was roller coaster to rival anything they'd come across in the three years prior. Elizabeth leaned on the support beam and sighed. Her people were weary but hopeful. Now they could rest for a little while.

A small "Welcome Home" party had been put together once Jennifer had felt Carson could leave the Infirmary without falling apart. The last few stragglers were helping one another clean up the mess everyone had made. Carson was tucked away in a private observation room and most everyone had finally gone to bed.

The door opened and John walked outside, rubbing a hand along his neck. He pulled one of the balcony chairs away from a table and slumped into it. Elizabeth smiled and walked over. John's head picked up and he offered a tired smile over his shoulder.

"Didn't see you there," he greeted.

"It's a nice evening," she replied with a shrug.

"It's warmer here," John commented, rubbing as his shoulder. "I didn't like it the first time."

"Neck sore?" Elizabeth asked.

"Little bit," John admitted.

Elizabeth walked over and pushed his hand aside. She dug her thumbs into the tight muscles of his neck and shoulders. John stiffened slightly under her unexpected touch, then began to relax as she worked out the knots of tension.

"You don't have to be right all the time," she told him.

"Wha?

"You don't have to be right all the time."

John didn't seem to have an answer for her so she continued to work her hands against his neck.

"Things have changed from what you experienced before," Elizabeth told him. "You aren't responsible for knowing how things are now."

She let her hands drop from his shoulders. Silently she sat down in a chair across the table from him. She folded her hands in front of her and waited for him to digest her words.

John sighed and leaned on the table, thinking. Elizabeth waited patiently. John needed to realize that he couldn't be right all the time. His knowledge came from a time which no longer existed and which was finite beside.

Finally John sighed. He leaned back in his seat.

"I think I'm getting to the end of what I know," he admitted looking at the table rather than up at her. "I guess," he said slowly. "I guess I was getting used to knowing what comes next."

"It has been very useful," Elizabeth admitted. "But we can't rely on it as the only means of decision making."

"I know it's just," John shook his head as he trailed off. "I've been able to do a hell of a lot of good." He studied his hands. "It's been really nice to do something. The year I remember was…"

John looked up at her and smiled ruefully before looking out across the water. "Sometimes I wish I couldn't remember that year. It was rough."

Elizabeth murmured sympathetic agreement. They'd lost people, their allies had been taken and their enemies had grown stronger.

"You're right though." He smirked at her, "Somehow you always are."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and leaned back in her seat,

"You know I'm not right all the time." She arched a wry brow. "Only most of the time."

John chuckled. "I get what you mean, though Elizabeth."

She nodded. He'd get over it with time. She'd watch to see he did.

"John? Elizabeth?"

Both looked up. Teyla stood at the balcony doorway, Kanaan just a few steps behind.

"Hello Teyla. Kanaan," Elizabeth greeted, gesturing to the empty seats at the table, inviting them to sit. John waved casually.

Teyla waved off the offer of joining them. She seemed very excited to Elizabeth and Kanaan was unusually happy. She wondered if-

"Kanaan has asked me to marry him. I have accepted.

"Congratulations!" Elizabeth said, rising to hug Teyla.

"Wow!" John said. He stood to clasp an arm with Kanaan then Teyla.

"Teyla and I would be deeply honored if you would stand with us before the village," Kanaan said. Elizabeth smiled broadly back.

"I'd love to," she told him, clasping arms as well.

"Yeah. That'd be great," John added. "I, uh, It'd be an honor."

Teyla smiled and wrapped an arm around Kanaan. "We have not yet set a date but you were friends I wanted to tell first." She grinned up at Kanaan who had an equally giddy smile for her.

"And now we must go tell Halling or he will have both our hides for not sharing our joy with him as well."

Teyla laughed and waved as she and her intended left the expedition leaders on the balcony.

Elizabeth watched them go, feeling happy for her friend. Teyla had occasionally confided in her that being so far from her people hurt. Perhaps this would ease some of that sadness. She turned to John and was amused to find him looking perplexed.

"Did you see this in the other timeline?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No. She was quiet about their relationship." He smirked. "Actually? The first time I heard about it was after she told me she was pregnant. By then Michael had already taken him."

Elizabeth reached over and placed a hand on his shoulder. John surprised her by reaching up and squeezing the hand. He took it off his shoulder and held it in his hand, squeezing it.

"I'm just about at the end of what I know," he said, watching the sea.

Elizabeth tightened her grip on his hand and tugged it slightly to get his attention.

"Were already head of the game, thanks to what you did know." She turned and looked out at the sea. "We'll continue on as we have."

"You mean figure it out as we go along and hope we don't screw up?" John asked, amusement clear in his voice.

Elizabeth smiled. "Exactly."


End file.
